Feast of the Dark One
by narglefanfics
Summary: Darkness has encircled the heroes of Storybrooke, but when it latches itself onto the Evil Queen, she won't let anyone else take her place. Can Emma Swan save the new Dark One? Or was Regina always meant to be in darkness? This time, no one is safe in Storybrooke, not even those Regina loves. 4x22


**A/N:** First off, I'd like to say that I will be updating 'You are my Weakness' soon for those of you have read that story. I'm sorry it's been a while! About this story, this is my take on if Regina had become the Dark One. Not much will be taken from the new promo about Dark Swan. Please enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** None of the characters are mine!

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 _Rumplestiltskin: You see, this is how it is. You think you are the diner at the feast, tasting the offerings. A little love, a little darkness. What you don't realize is you are the feast. And the darkness has tasted you!_  
 _Regina: Oh, you're vile. Leave my home._  
 _Rumplestiltskin: The darkness likes how you taste. It doesn't mind the bitter. And now it's started the meal, it's going to finish it. You can no more fly from your fate than can that swan._

"Hey, what's going on?" Regina asked as she approached the group outside of Gold's shop, Robin proudly on her arm. She _hoped_ that the star players of the Charming Softball Team were simply out for a nightly stroll, but the pirate's quick answer told her otherwise.

"The Dark One. It's no longer tethered to the Crocodile." He told her. Robin tensed up next to her, but the Queen had spent such a long time feeling nothing that her emotions didn't show so easily.

"What? Where the hell is it?" Regina demanded, scanning their surroundings. The street was empty, except for them, and the streetlights barely illuminated the night. She made a mental note to have maintenance do something about the dim lights once this fiasco was over, but she couldn't fret over it now. She could taste the darkness in the air and it scared her how much it made her feel alive. After all these years, it could still grab hold of her.

"It hasn't gone anywhere. The darkness, it's surrounding us." Emma cautioned, staring into the starless sky. Regina gazed unsteadily into the void too. For a moment, she could see the unleashed darkness flying wildly around Storybrooke and she knew that it would find her. It didn't matter that Emma had the most potential for darkness or that Regina had finally managed to redeem herself. The once Evil Queen had already fell captive to its magic years ago. She had already been persuaded by its power, been _hooked_. So it didn't astonish her when the swirling mass of dark power surrounded her like a tornado, trying to latch itself onto her soul.

"Regina! What's it doing?" She heard Robin shout. She could barely see him turn to Emma, desperate for an answer.

"What darkness does. It's snuffing out the light." Emma explained. Regina could practically hear the savior's head thinking from where she stood surrounded by the dreaded darkness. Minutes passed, Regina tried to fight off the darkness, but it seemed determined to have its way with her. She didn't know what was happening, but she saw Emma running up to her with the dagger.

"No!" She yelled, deep and guttural. Emma looked shocked at her resistance. Summoning all her strength, Regina snatched the dagger from Emma using her magic, and the darkness began snaking its way up her arm. _'You can't save me this time, Emma, and I won't let you go through this. You're too good,'_ She thought as her world completely turned black. The magic began to seep into her skin and she screamed at the excruciating pain, probably scaring those in front of her. Every good memory she had, she could feel being blotted with darkness, like ink on paper. Her story was being rewritten, or, remembered differently. Once the initial pain faded away, she was numb with no will left to fight the darkness. The Dark One had finished devouring her, and she was left shaking and panting, staring out into the faces of her audience. She could see the fools were worried for her, but in truth, it wasn't so bad. Deep down, Regina had always known she would eventually go back to the dark. How could a villain like her really turn good? Wasn't it Rumple who said she had to take her happy ending? Yes, that thought made her feel a slight happiness. At least, she thought that was what happiness felt like. It was dulled down, like watery tea.

Once she caught her breathe, she grinned, twirling the dagger in her right hand. It now read _her_ name. "It seems that I'm the new Dark One...Dearies." She chuckled at her own joke. Emma immediately stepped forward, ignoring the pirate's attempts to keep her back.

"Regina, this isn't you. Think for a moment what old you would do, the _good_ you." She tried to reason. Regina laughed again. It echoed around them.

"This is who I am now, Dear. The Regina before me was weak. I won't make the same petty mistakes she did." She took a moment to examine their fearful expressions, stopping the longest on Robin. She was glad she couldn't feel anything for him anymore. That whole ordeal was too painful.

"Regina, please-" Robin came towards her, his arm outstretched. Rage filled her. It was welcoming after the long minutes of numbness she had just endured.

"Ah, yes. The Just and Noble Robin Hood. The man who leads women to believe he's in love with them before he breaks...their...hearts." She jeered.

"Please, you have to understand," He continued, stammering. Regina sneered.

"I never want to see you again. If I do, I'll kill you." She hissed, then threw him in the air with magic, making him skid across the road. She was reminded of the first time she discovered magic. Rumple had asked her how it made her feel. She had loved it. Now, the feeling was enhanced greatly. She looked out to all of them. "When your previous Dark One recovers, send him to me. We have matters to discuss. And Emma, don't try and find me." She disappeared instantly, no need for smoke, no ten second wait.

When Regina appeared in the middle of her vault, she collapsed to the stone floor. Emotion flooded back into her. "I need Rumple," She whimpered. She glanced to the right of her and her mother's trunks caught her eyes. "Are you happy now, Mother?" She asked, looking up at the ceiling where her mother's corpse was somewhere. "Regina the Queen, Regina the Dark One. I have unlimited power, but why do I feel so empty?" The overwhelming feeling of hopelessness built up inside of her until she sobbed for several minutes, cursing herself for feeling things so deeply. "Please, I need someone, anyone-" She sensed another presence above her and sat up. "No... It couldn't be," She whispered to herself then ran upstairs. "Mother?" She shouted as she got to the top, but saw the coffin sitting silently where it always had. What little warmth and hope she had felt was shattered. A knock came from outside the vault's doors and Regina made the doors fly open. She was going to kill whoever it was outside, whoever made her believe that, just for a moment, her mother was there to help her through this.

"...Emma," She said without surprise.

"Really, Regina, you have _got_ to find some new hiding places." The insufferable blonde greeted casually.

"You come to calm me down, and you think bringing your one-handed, pirate boyfriend will help?" Regina chiding, leaning against the edge of the door. She watched as Emma eyed the dagger in her hand, then turned to Hook, mouthing something. Regina took this time to breathe deeply and try to control herself. She could feel the darkness making her want to lash out. Rumple controlled this thing for hundreds of years, so how hard would it be for her to do it? She finally looked up to see Hook give an apprehensive look, then leave them both alone.

"Regina-" Emma began, but the Queen held up her free hand.

"Follow me, Swan." She ordered and turned to descend into her vault. Emma's soft footsteps meant she was following. Good.

"Uh... Mind explaining what exactly that was back there?" She heard Emma's nervous voice from behind her.

"No." The only sound was the thumping of Emma's boots and Regina's own clicking heels, passing up corridors and rooms as they followed a specific path. "I _can't_ explain, Swan. Because earlier I couldn't feel anything, and now I suddenly do."

"Well, these things take time, don't they? You can't turn completely dark in one day." Regina abruptly stopped then turned to face the blonde.

"You're right," Was all she said before continuing.

"You don't... _look_ that different, if that helps." Emma added. "Your eyes are a little darker than usual and your skin is really white and... kind of sparkly, but it just looks like eyeshadow got all over your... body. No one will notice."

"Miss Swan, you are failing miserably at keeping me happy. One wrong move and I _will_ end you. Don't take it personally, I can't help it." Regina responded casually, smirking to herself. That might have been a bit of an exaggeration to strike fear into the blonde.

"Right. Uh, you've really made the place cozy." Emma commented as they turned into a furnished room. Regina watched as Emma jumped onto the couch, hoping her stern facial expression showed her disapproval.

"Why are you here, Swan? I seem to distinctly remember telling you not to come searching for me," Regina sat in the chair opposite of Emma, placing her hands regally along the chair's shoulders and crossing her legs. Emma sat up from her slouching.

"Well, you make it so easy and finding people is what I do." Emma shrugged before getting serious. "I need to know if you're planning on fighting this or if you're going to go all crazy Cora-Pan-Ice Queen-Zelena on us."

"I currently have no plans to wreak havoc on this town," She assured. "How is Robin?"

"As well as a guy can be after being thrown several feet on hard road." Regina must have looked worried, because Emma added, "He's not too bruised. Not physically, anyway." Regina nodded.

"I can't control this. It won't be long before the Regina that hurt Robin is all that remains." She admitted, not looking Emma in the eye. It was humiliating, how weak she was being, but she wasn't the Evil Queen anymore. That woman had nothing to lose. Now, Regina had everything.

"Rumple fought off the Dark One for over three hundred years. You can do it too."

"He was turned evil by the Dark One power. He actually used to be good." Regina waved her silly hope speech away. "I, on the other hand, was a recovering villain when it turned me." Emma looked like she was thinking hard.

"Give me your dagger." She finally said.

"What?" Regina said automatically, her hand grasping the dagger more firmly.

"It's so we can both make sure you don't hurt anyone." Emma barely had the words out before she looked fearful. Regina glanced in a mirror on the wall and truly saw herself for the first time. Her eyes were an endless pool of black and her hair was all over the place. She really was terrifying. "Regina," Emma said, bringing the new Dark One to look back at her. Regina felt an unexplainable heat and red fire came into her peripheral vision. There was a fireball in her hand. She quickly made it disappear then looked away.

"You should leave," She said without emotion.

"Regina-" Emma fought, but Regina was quicker with her words.

"Leave or I will hurt you. Don't you understand?" It wasn't quite as menacing as she wanted it to sound, but Emma got the message, anyway. The blonde gave what Regina thought was a disgusting, pitiful look, before rushing out of the room. Cracks began to form at the base of the walls against Regina's will. Mirrors crashed to the ground, sending their glass across the room. The light from the torches were extinguished and Regina was left alone in the darkness, trying to control what was eating her alive.

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 **A/N:** Thank you for reading! I appreciate your feedback, so please review!


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